Sifter scale attachment for stand mixer

ABSTRACT

A food-product handling device includes a sifter unit having housing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite the upper side. A sifter basket has an interior and is aligned with and inset within the open upper side. The device further includes a scale assembly having a body defining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening. The body is positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of the housing. A hopper is positionable on the weight-sensing unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to and the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/627,958, filed onFeb. 8, 2018, entitled SIFTER SCALE ATTACHMENT FOR STAND MIXER, theentire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present device generally relates to a combination sifter and scaleassembly for use as an attachment for a mixer or similar appliance.

SUMMARY

In at least one aspect, a food-product handling device includes a sifterunit having housing defining an open upper side, a mount extendingoutwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower sideopposite the upper side. A sifter basket has an interior and is alignedwith and inset within the open upper side. The device further includes ascale assembly having a body defining an upper opening and an oppositelower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding theupper opening. The body is positionable on the housing of the sifterunit with the opening in communication with the open upper side of thehousing. A hopper is positionable on the weight-sensing unit.

In at least another aspect, a food-product handling device includes ahousing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly fromthe first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite theupper side. The device further includes a scale body defining an upperopening and an opposite lower opening and having an annularweight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening. The body ispositionable on the housing with the opening in communication with theopen upper side of the housing. The device further includes a foodproduct support element positionable on the weight-sensing unit.

In at least another aspect, a food-product handling assembly includes asifter unit having a housing defining an open upper side, a mountextending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and alower side opposite the upper side. The sifter unit further has a sifterbasket having an interior aligned with and inset within the open upperside. The assembly further includes a scale body defining an upperopening and an opposite lower opening and having an annularweight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening. The scale body isremovably positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with theopening in communication with the open upper side of the housing and isconfigured for resting on a flat surface when removed from the housingof the sifter unit. The assembly further includes a hopper removablypositionable on the weight-sensing unit and a plate removably on theweight sensing unit in place of the hopper.

These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present devicewill be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the artupon studying the following specification, claims, and appendeddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front-perspective view of a combination sifter and scaledevice;

FIG. 2 is a front-perspective view of the device of FIG. 1 in an alignedcondition with a stand mixer for attachment therewith;

FIG. 3 is a side cross-section view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the device of FIG. 1 showinginternal components thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative sweeper crank usable in avariation of a combined sifter and scale device;

FIG. 6 is a housing of a sifter portion of the variation of the combinedsifter and scale device;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sifter portion of FIG. 6 showing anoutput chute thereof;

FIG. 8 is a side cross-section view of the sifter portion of FIG. 6showing internal features thereof;

FIG. 9 is a side cross-section detail view of the sifter portion of FIG.6 showing a clutch mechanism included therein; and

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a scale portion of the variation of thecombined sifter and scale device in use with a weight plate as astand-alone scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

For purposes of description herein the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,”“left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivativesthereof shall relate to the device as oriented in FIG. 1. However, it isto be understood that the device may assume various alternativeorientations and step sequences, except where expressly specified to thecontrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices andprocesses illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in thefollowing specification are simply exemplary embodiments of theinventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specificdimensions and other physical characteristics relating to theembodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting,unless the claims expressly state otherwise.

Referring to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, reference numeral2 generally designates a food-product handling device in the form of acombined sifter and scale attachment for a motor-driven device such asthe stand mixer M shown in FIG. 2. Device 2 includes a sifter unit 4having a housing 46 defining an open upper side 48 and a lower side 50opposite the upper side. The housing is further structured to define amount portion 6 extending outwardly from the housing 46 along a firstaxis 52. The sifter unit 4 also includes a sifter basket 20 (FIG. 3)having an interior 54 (FIG. 3) aligned with and inset within the openupper side 48. Device 2 also includes a scale assembly 10 having a body56 defining an upper opening 58 and an opposite lower opening 60 andhaving an annular weight-sensing unit 62 (FIG. 3) surrounding the upperopening 58. The body 56 of the scale assembly 10 is positionable on thehousing 46 of the sifter unit 4 with the lower opening 60 incommunication with the open upper side 48 of the housing 46 and a hopper12 positionable on the weight-sensing unit 62.

With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the mount 6 of sifter portion 4 isreceivable in the device connection port P of stand mixer M (FIG. 2).The mount 6 further includes an input shaft 8 that couples with aconnection within the port P for driving operation of the sifter unit 4,as described further below. Scale portion 10 is positioned on the top ofthe main body 4 and supports a hopper 12 over the main body 4. In thismanner, the entire device 2 is supported by the mixer M with hopper 12open to and in communication with sifter screen 20 by way of alignmentof the lower opening 60 of scale assembly 10 with the open upper side 48of sifter portion 4. The above-mentioned sensor unit 62, which mayinclude a plurality of sensors 14 (FIG. 3) arranged around a peripheryof upper opening 58 of scale assembly 10, can be used to indicate theweight of ingredients added to the hopper 12 prior to sifting thereof.Device 2 also includes an output chute 16 arranged on and extending fromthe lower side 50 of sifter portion 4. As described further below, chute16 can be configured to collect a food product passing through sifterbasket 20 and to direct the sifted ingredients, including to a mixingbowl B (FIG. 4) positioned on mixer 4. In this manner, ingredients canbe weighed, sifted, and added to mixing bowl B solely by device 2 forfurther mixing using stand mixer M or to another container adjacentmixer M but not coupled with or supported on mixer M.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower end 64 of hopper 12 is open and at leastpartially received within the body 56 of scale portion 10 when thehopper 12 is positioned on the weight-sensing unit 62. In this manner,hopper 12 is supported in a desired position on body 56 with opening 64aligned with lower opening 60 of body 56. As further shown, both thelower opening 60 of body 56 and the sifter screen 20 can be larger thanthe lower end 64 of hopper 12 so that ingredients exiting hopper 12 canfall out of body 56 and be collected by sifter screen 20. Hopper 12 hasa butterfly valve 18 rotatably mounted within the lower open 64 end toselectively open and close the lower open end 64. In particularbutterfly valve 18 can be controlled by a user by a knob coupled withbutterfly valve 18 and externally positioned on device 2. In thismanner, the hopper 12 may be closed as ingredients are added thereto sothat they can be weighed as they accumulate in hopper 12. Subsequently,valve 18 can be selectively opened and closed so that the ingredientscan be transferred to the sifter basket 20 in controlled amounts.

Continuing with respect to FIG. 3, sifter basket 20 is positioned belowhopper 12 by being internally supported within main body 4. As isgenerally known, a majority of sifter basket 20 is defined by a mesh orperforated material with openings of a size sufficiently small toseparate dry, powdered ingredients for improved mixing, such as with wetingredients. A sweeper crank 22 is rotatably supported within main body4 so as to rotate within the interior 54 space defined by screen 20(where ingredients exiting hopper 12 collect) and to move closely to orin contact with the mesh or screen portion of sifter basket 20 during atleast a portion of rotation to both break up any clumps within theingredients and to urge the powdered ingredients released from hopper 12through sifter basket 20. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the sweepercrank 22 includes ends 68 supported on housing 46 so as to be rotatableabout a second axis 70 parallel to the first axis 52. A central portion72 of sweeper crank 22 is offset from ends 68 and forms a generallyarcuate profile that generally matches the concave profile defined bysifter basket 20. As further shown, the sweeper crank 22 can have agenerally circular cross-section and can define a relatively thinelement of wire or the like.

The sweeper crank 22 is operably coupled with input shaft 8 by areduction mechanism 24 such that the power coupling P of the mixer M(FIG. 3), which provides rotational movement, drives oscillation (or insome implementations, continuous rotation) of sweeper crank 22 (it isnoted that the scale assembly 10 is powered by its own batteries,including for sensing unit 62 and the included display 66 and,accordingly, operates independently of the sifter).

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, chute 16 extending from the lower side 50 ofthe housing 46 and defines a conduit 74 from the interior of the housing46 below the sifter basket 20 to a location external to the housing 46.Chute 16 is coupled with the housing 46 of sifter unit 4 by a mountingunit 26 that is rotatably coupled within housing 4 and positionedbeneath sifter basket 20. Mounting unit 26 allows for rotation of chute16 along a plane parallel to the counter surface on which mixer M ispositioned such that chute 16 can be directed into a mixing bowl Bsupported by the stand mixer M or positioned in another locationadjacent to the mixer M. Mounting unit 26 also defines a generallyconical shape that sifter basket 20 is set into. This shape allowsmounting unit 26 to collect the sifted ingredients falling from sifterbasket 20 and to direct them into the interior conduit 74 of chute 16.As shown in FIG. 4, chute 16 is also pivotally coupled with mountingunit 26 along a hinge 28 parallel to the counter to allow verticalrotation of chute 16 relative to housing 46. This rotation can allowchute 16 to be angled to accommodate bowls B or other receptacles ofdifferent heights and to facilitate movement into and out of the desiredbowl B or receptacle.

An additional embodiment of the device 102, including variousalternative features thereof, is shown in FIGS. 5-10. In general, device102, is similar in structure and operation to device 2, described aboveand includes a sifter unit 104 having a housing 146 defining an openupper side 148 and a lower side 150 opposite the upper side 148. Thehousing 146 is structured to define a mount portion 106 extendingoutwardly from the housing 146 along a first axis 152. The sifter unit104 also includes a sifter basket 120 having an interior 154 alignedwith and inset within the open upper side 150. Device 102 also includesa scale assembly 110 having a body 156 defining an upper opening 158 andan opposite lower opening 160 and having an annular weight-sensing unit162 surrounding the upper opening 158. The body 156 of the scaleassembly 110 is positionable on the housing 146 of the sifter unit 104with the lower opening 160 in communication with the open upper side 148of the housing 146 and a hopper 112 positionable on the weight-sensingunit 162.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, sweeper crank 122 includes two arcuate wires132 supported on an axial body 134 in an angularly-spaced manner withrespect to each other. Wires 132 can be affixed with body 134 at commonpoints 176 offset from the axis 170 of rotation of body 134 and canextend from points 176 at an angle of between 10° and 45° with respectto each other. The sweeper crank 122 is rotated in an oscillating mannerwith respect to the sifter basket 120 by a cam mechanism 183 thatconverts the continuous rotational movement of the input shaft 108 tothe desired oscillating movement. The amount of rotation of crank 122for each oscillation can vary depending, for example, on the spacing ofwires 132 such that the sweeper crank traverses sifter basket 120 fullywith each oscillation. In particular, in the illustrated arrangement,each of the wires 132 traverses a respective portion of the sifterbasket 120 that is less than the entire basket by the angle between thewires 132 with the portions traversed by the respective wires 132overlapping such that the entire sifter basket 120 is traversed by atleast one of the wires 132. Sifter basket 120 may include a solid upperportion 178 that surrounds and extends upwardly from a mesh portion 180of basket 120. As shown, sweeper crank 122 can be mounted within upperportion 178.

As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the mounting of sweeper crank 122 with uppersolid portion 178 of sifter basket 120 can facilitate configuration ofsifter portion 104 with a removable sifter assembly 138 by which thesifter basket 120 and sweeper crank 122 collectively are removable fromhousing 104 by way of a spring loaded drive shaft 140 and a clip 142.This arrangement allows the scale 110 to be used in connection withchute 116 for large ingredients that do not require sifting, withingredients dispensed from hopper 112 passing directly through thehousing 146 of sifter portion 104 and into chute 116. In particular,sweeper crank 122 is rotatably coupled at the ends 168 thereof with thesifter basket 122. Sweeper crank 122 further includes an input end 182operably coupleable with an output 184 mounted on an interior of thehousing 146 and rotationally driven by the input shaft 108. Input end182 is biased outwardly with respect to sifter basket 120 by a spring186 internal to body 136. In this manner, sifter assembly 138 can beassembled with housing 146 by aligning input end 182 with output 184 andpressed inwardly until sifter basket 120 can be lowered into housing146, at which point an outer periphery of upper solid portion 178 can besecured within clip 142.

As shown in FIG. 9, device 2 also includes a clutch assembly 136 coupledbetween the input shaft 108 and the sweeper crank 122 (including betweeninput shaft 108 and output 184). The clutch assembly 136 shown in theexample is a ball-and-spring design that is automatically resettable andprevents damage to the sifter portion 104 of device 102 (includingsweeper crank 122 and or reduction mechanism 124), if the sweeper crank122 is jammed by a foreign or other large object in the sifter basket120. Other types of clutch assemblies may be substituted.

Returning to FIG. 8, chute 116 of device 102 can be mounted in atelescoping manner (rather than the previously-disclosedupwardly-pivoting arrangement). As discussed above, chute 116 isrotatably coupled with housing 146 (in a plane parallel with thecounter) by way of a mounting unit 126. As further shown, chute 116 iscoupled with mounting unit 126 in a sliding manner. As above, chute 116defines the conduit 174 of the relative extension thereof allowingvertical movement and/or extension of chute 116 to accommodate bowls Bor other receptacles of different heights and to facilitate movementinto and out of the desired bowl B or receptacle. Chute 116 may furtherinclude a tab 188 for gripping to facilitate movement thereof withrespect to mounting unit 126, as well as rotation of chute 116.

As shown in FIG. 10, an auxiliary weight plate 144 can be included withdevice 102. Weight plate 144 can be configured to mount to the scaleassembly 110 in place of the hopper 112. This mounting may be done byincluding a mounting portion on the underside of weight plate 144 thatis similar to the lower portion of hopper 112, including the abovedescribed lower end 64 thereof to rest on the above-described weightsensing unit 62 of scale assembly 110. As discussed above, because,scale assembly 110 is powered separately from sifter unit 104, the scale102 can be used separately therefrom. Accordingly, scale assembly 110can be configured to be removed from sifter unit 104 and positioned on acountertop. Similarly, hopper 112 can be removed and replaced withweight plate 144 so that scale assembly 110 can be used as a stand-alonekitchen scale, when the remainder of device 102 is out of use.

It will be understood by one having ordinary skill in the art thatconstruction of the described device and other components is not limitedto any specific material. Other exemplary embodiments of the devicedisclosed herein may be formed from a wide variety of materials, unlessdescribed otherwise herein.

For purposes of this disclosure, the term “coupled” (in all of itsforms, couple, coupling, coupled, etc.) generally means the joining oftwo components (electrical or mechanical) directly or indirectly to oneanother. Such joining may be stationary in nature or movable in nature.Such joining may be achieved with the two components (electrical ormechanical) and any additional intermediate members being integrallyformed as a single unitary body with one another or with the twocomponents. Such joining may be permanent in nature or may be removableor releasable in nature unless otherwise stated.

It is also important to note that the construction and arrangement ofthe elements of the device as shown in the exemplary embodiments isillustrative only. Although only a few embodiments of the presentinnovations have been described in detail in this disclosure, thoseskilled in the art who review this disclosure will readily appreciatethat many modifications are possible (e.g., variations in sizes,dimensions, structures, shapes and proportions of the various elements,values of parameters, mounting arrangements, use of materials, colors,orientations, etc.) without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the subject matter recited. For example,elements shown as integrally formed may be constructed of multiple partsor elements shown as multiple parts may be integrally formed, theoperation of the interfaces may be reversed or otherwise varied, thelength or width of the structures and/or members or connector or otherelements of the system may be varied, the nature or number of adjustmentpositions provided between the elements may be varied. It should benoted that the elements and/or assemblies of the system may beconstructed from any of a wide variety of materials that providesufficient strength or durability, in any of a wide variety of colors,textures, and combinations. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of the present innovations.Other substitutions, modifications, changes, and omissions may be madein the design, operating conditions, and arrangement of the desired andother exemplary embodiments without departing from the spirit of thepresent innovations.

It will be understood that any described processes or steps withindescribed processes may be combined with other disclosed processes orsteps to form structures within the scope of the present device. Theexemplary structures and processes disclosed herein are for illustrativepurposes and are not to be construed as limiting.

It is also to be understood that variations and modifications can bemade on the aforementioned structures and methods without departing fromthe concepts of the present device, and further it is to be understoodthat such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claimsunless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.

The above description is considered that of the illustrated embodimentsonly. Modifications of the device will occur to those skilled in the artand to those who make or use the device. Therefore, it is understoodthat the embodiments shown in the drawings and described above is merelyfor illustrative purposes and not intended to limit the scope of thedevice, which is defined by the following claims as interpretedaccording to the principles of patent law, including the Doctrine ofEquivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A food-product handling device, comprising: asifter unit including: a housing defining an open upper side, a mountextending outwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and alower side opposite the upper side; a sifter basket having an interiorof one of a mesh or perforated material and aligned with and insetwithin the open upper side; and a scale assembly, including: a bodydefining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having anannular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening, the bodybeing positionable on the housing of the sifter unit with the opening incommunication with the open upper side of the housing; and a hopperpositionable on the weight-sensing unit.
 2. The device of claim 1,wherein the hopper defines a lower open end at least partially receivedwithin the body when the hopper is positioned on the weight-sensingunit, the hopper having a butterfly valve rotatably mounted within thelower open end to selectively open and closed the lower open end.
 3. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the sifter unit further includes a sweepercrank unit mounted within the housing, having an arm generally followinga contour of a cross-section of the sifter basket and being rotationallycoupled with a fitting extending from the mount of the housing.
 4. Thedevice of claim 3, wherein the mount is configured to support the devicewith respect to a motor-driven device; and the fitting is configured forcoupling with a drive port of the motor driven device for the device todrive rotation of the arm.
 5. The device of claim 3, wherein the sifterunit further includes a clutch mechanism disposed between the fittingand the arm.
 6. The device of claim 3, wherein the arm is a first armand the sweeper crank further includes a second arm, each of the firstand second arms being of an arc-shaped wire segment and beingangularly-spaced from each other.
 7. The device of claim 3, wherein thesweeper crank unit further includes a cam mechanism including a camrotationally driven by the fitting and operatively engaged with an inputelement to translate continuous rotation of the cam into oscillatingrotation of the first arm.
 8. The device of claim 3, wherein the arm isrotatably coupled with the sifter basket and includes a spring-loadedinput end operably coupleable with an output mounted on an interior ofthe housing and rotationally driven by the fitting.
 9. The device ofclaim 8, wherein the sifter basket and arm are removably coupled withthe housing by a clip fixed with the housing, the spring-loaded inputend engaging with the output when assembled with the housing.
 10. Thedevice of claim 1, wherein the sifter unit further includes a chuteextending from the lower side of the housing, the chute defining aconduit from an interior of the housing below the sifter basket to alocation external to the housing.
 11. The device of claim 10, whereinthe chute is coupled with the housing by a conical mounting unitpivotably disposed within the housing beneath the sifter basket.
 12. Thedevice of claim 10, wherein the chute further includes a body rotatablycoupled with the mounting unit in a plane perpendicular to a plane ofrotation of the mounting unit.
 13. The device of claim 10, wherein thechute includes a body defining a first portion of the conduit and anextension portion slidably coupled with the body and defining a secondportion of the conduit that varies in a length thereof within sliding ofthe extension portion relative to the body.
 14. The device of claim 1,wherein the scale assembly is removable from the body and is configuredfor resting on a flat surface, the device further including a platerentable on the weight sensing unit in place of the hopper.
 15. Afood-product handling device, comprising: a sifter unit includinghousing defining an open upper side, a mount extending outwardly fromthe first housing along a first axis, and a lower side opposite theupper side, the sifter unit further including a sifter basket having aninterior of one of a mesh or perforated material and aligned with andinset within the open upper side of the housing; and a scale bodydefining an upper opening and an opposite lower opening and having anannular weight-sensing unit surrounding the upper opening, the bodybeing positionable on the housing with the opening in communication withthe open upper side of the housing; and a food product support elementpositionable on the weight-sensing unit.
 16. The device of claim 15,wherein: the sifter unit further includes a sweeper crank unit mountedwithin the housing, having an arm generally following a contour of across-section of the sifter basket and being rotationally coupled with afitting extending from the mount of the housing; the mount is configuredto support the device with respect to a motor-driven device; and thefitting is configured for coupling with a drive port of the motor drivendevice for the device to drive rotation of the arm.
 17. The device ofclaim 15, wherein the food product support element is a hopper.
 18. Thedevice of claim 15, wherein: the housing is included in a sifter unit;and the sifter unit further includes a chute extending from the lowerside of the housing, the chute defining a conduit from an interior ofthe housing below the sifter basket to a location external to thehousing.
 19. A food-product handling assembly, comprising: a sifter unitincluding: a housing defining an open upper side, a mount extendingoutwardly from the first housing along a first axis, and a lower sideopposite the upper side; and a sifter basket having an interior of oneof a mesh or perforated material and aligned with and inset within theopen upper side; a scale body defining an upper opening and an oppositelower opening and having an annular weight-sensing unit surrounding theupper opening, the scale body being removably positionable on thehousing of the sifter unit with the opening in communication with theopen upper side of the housing and configured for resting on a flatsurface when removed from the housing of the sifter unit; and a foodproduct support element removably positionable on the weight-sensingunit.
 20. The food-product handling assembly of claim 19, wherein thefood product support element is one of a hopper or a plate.